Ashwin suggested that Team India become a “different beast” when they're riled up.
Gambhir and Lee Fortis had an ugly spat after the Indian head coach was asked to stay 2.5 meters away when he was inspecting the pitch.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin suggested that Team India become a “different beast” when they're riled up and this wasn't the way they should have been triggered ahead of the Oval Test.
"After all that, when I saw the video of that fight today, I am thinking, 'Boss, what are you guys doing?' This is not how you want to play against this Indian team. I have always seen that when adversity strikes the Indian team, however it may be, someone will rise up. When things are not going right, or when we are pushed against the wall, the Indian team is a different kettle of fish; it becomes a different beast."
"I think that particular thing, going into this Test match, is a serious advantage for India. Maybe this will mean nothing if England play good cricket and India don't end up on the right side, but somehow I have a feeling that this is not the way it has to be triggered," Ashwin said.
He also mentioned several incidents in India's cricket history, like the monkeygate episode in Australia, where the team bounced back brilliantly and secured a historic win at Perth.
"When such an incident occurs, those sleeping beasts, the individually brilliant players, will come together. I have seen that many times. You look at any kind of adversity. When that Monkeygate incident happened, you saw how we played in the next Test. Look at what happened at the Gabba, look at what happened at the Lord's, where Virat said, '60 overs of hell'. It galvanizes the team," Ashwin remarked.
India are currently 1-2 behind in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy but have a golden opportunity to draw the series in the finale, set to begin on July 31.